Robert L. Hempel, M.Th., TAP

La Grange Park, IL, USA

Pastoral Care Consultant

Transactional Analysis Practitioner

Member, USATAA Co-ordinating Council

Presentation by

“But all, I think I would salute the relaxed or ‘cowboy therapist’ who has permission to be happy himself and can transmit this

license to his patients.” —Eric Berne

Carmel, California July, 1965

(Page X)

Written in the “Forward” of The Principles of Group Treatment

The cowboy herds the cattle and moves them into the corral.

The Cowboy Therapist herds the patients and guides them into the OK—OK Corral.

The Goal!

(Drawing from TA Project by Catherine O’Brien)* *originated by Franklin Ernst

Based on my training with two “Cowboy Therapists”

Robert L. Goulding, M.D.

Denton L. Roberts, M.Min.

I used the “Cowboy Therapist” model

as a basic “tool” for forty-plus years in ministry.

“But all, I think I would salute the relaxed or ‘cowboy /cowgirl therapist’ who has

permission to be happy joyful him one’s self and can transmit this license to his one’s

patients.”

Note: Therapists include girls …. change to cowboy/cowgirl therapist … joyful is a better

word choice than happy …. gender correction from him and his to one’s.

Revision of Cowboy Therapist, 2015 version

My Definition of

The Cowboy/Cowgirl Therapist

One who has permission to be joyful with

one’s self and transmit this license

to one’s patients.

P

A

C

How aboutusing “Cow-person”

here?

Internal Dialogue

Too Formal

Ukkk… NO FUN!!

Discussion about terms for modern day “Cowboy”

How the Cowgirl/Cowboy Therapist Works

The Adult is always the executive Ego State and lives in the Here and Now!

The Child and the Parent Ego States are in secondary executive power to analyze the

data I am receiving from my audience, either it be an individual or a group.

The Cowboy/Cowgirl TherapistInternal External

SecondaryPower

SecondaryPower

Executive Power

C

A

P

Transactions Only

Incoming Data

Incoming Data

Incoming Data

The CT uses the Adult when the Patient is in Adult.

Adult to Adult Transaction

What time is it?

Exchanging Information

Twelve Noon

A ATO

The external data is filtered through all Ego States

First: The Child Ego detects the emotional stance of the individual or group.

Is the group/individual in a joyful mood, a sad mood, an angry mood or an apathetic mood?

What is my Child Ego State feeling in this situation? Comfortable? Joyful? Sad? Angry? Danger?

Uneasy gut-feeling? Are games being played?**Denton Roberts

The Cowboy/Cowgirl TherapistInternal External

SecondaryPower

SecondaryPower

Executive Power

C

A

P

Transactions Only

Incoming Data

Incoming Data

Incoming Data

The CT uses the Child when the Patient is in Child.

C

This cold weather is killing me.

C

I see you’re alive and

exercising!

TO

Child to Child Transaction

Exchanging Feelings

Does the situation call for a nurturing or critical response? Should I listen? Does this situation demand a fast, medium,

slow response, or no response. What does the Parent Ego State expect the response

to my transaction? What is my history in this relationship?

The Cowboy/Cowgirl TherapistInternal External

SecondaryPower

SecondaryPower

Executive Power

C

A

PTransactions Only

Incoming Data

Incoming Data

Incoming Data

The CT use the Parent when the Patient is in Parent.

P P

Parent to Parent Transaction

TO

Exchanging Opinions

This slide show is

excellent!

I agree, it is

excellent!

My Definition of

The Cowboy/Cowgirl Therapist

One who has permission to be joyful with

one’s self and transmit this license

to one’s patients.

BibliographyBerne, Eric, M.D., The Principles of Group Treatment.

New York: Grove Press, 1966, p X.

O’Brien, Catherine, The TA Project. Published on iTunes' iBooks, 2015, p. 29.

Roberts, Denton L . Personal Conversation. All Peoples Christian Center, Los Angeles, CA, 1978.